1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to faucets for use with beer tappers and other pressurized dispensers and, more particularly, relates to a faucet configured to dispense materials in a controlled manner while minimizing bacterial contamination.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Dispensing faucets are used in a variety of applications in which materials are dispensed from pressurized containers or other pressurized sources. Dispensing faucets of this type are widely used in beverage dispensing applications in which beer, soda, or another beverage is dispensed from a pressurized container such as a keg. They are also sometimes used to dispense condiments such as relish or mustard from containers under pressure. Indeed, the applications are nearly infinite.
A typical prior art faucet includes a valve operated by a pivotal lever. Specifically, a valve element is mounted on a plunger that is slidable longitudinally through a bore. When the lever is pivoted forwardly, towards the user, to open the valve element, the valve element moves rearwardly through the bore, thereby permitting dispensed materials to flow from the inlet of the valve to the outlet. The entire valve is exposed to flowing fluid during dispensation, but when the valve is not dispensing, major portions of wet valve elements are exposed to air. In addition, fluid that collects in the front portion of the valve must be drained from the valve through a drain bore. Standing fluid in the valve and exposure of the wet valve elements to air can give rise to undesirable bacterial growth within the valve. Therefore, the need has arisen to improve the design of a faucet to eliminate air from the interior of the valve.
Another problem associated with conventional faucets is that they do not incorporate features allowing sanitary dispensation of particulate matter. As a result, if used to dispense viscous fluids or particulate-laden materials, such as mustard or relish, residues of the dispensed materials remain on the valve element after the dispensing operation, and bacteria may grow on the residual materials on the valve element, risking contamination of the dispensed materials during subsequent dispensing operations. Traditional tapper type dispensing faucets are therefore rarely used to dispense flowable materials such as condiments or other viscous or particulate-laden fluids. The need therefore has arisen to provide a dispensing faucet that incorporates measures to wipe the faucet's valve element clean of dispensed fluid during the dispensing operation.
Traditional faucets also require a fairly elaborate method for cleaning the valve elements, including taking the valve elements out of the valve body and washing them at another location. The need has arisen to not only provide valve elements that remain clean, but that also provide valve elements which can be cleaned effectively without disassembling the valve.